The Kanye West-Donald Trump bromance began causing collateral damage on Friday morning as the president attempted to co-opt Chance the Rapper. After responding positively to a tweet Chance sent on Wednesday defending West (“Black people don’t have to be Democrats”), Trump doubled down on Friday morning, tweeting “Kanye West has performed a great service to the Black Community – Big things are happening and eyes are being opened for the first time in Decades – Legacy Stuff! Thank you also to Chance and Dr. Darrell Scott, they really get it (lowest Black & Hispanic unemployment in history).”
But Chance wasn’t having it: After a pair of Tweets signifying discomfort with the situation, the proudly Chicagoan MC responded “Nah that ain’t it yo” to the president and then posted a long broadside attached to a Tweet saying “My fault yo”:
“Kanye West is not just a mentor or big homie to me. He’s my family. No matter how much I may disagree with him, it’s hard for me to watch people talk about someone I love — even if they were justified in doing so. I didn’t speak up because I agree with what Kanye had to say or cause I f— with Trump, I did it because I wanted to help my friend and cause I felt like I was being used to attack him. Unfortunately, my attempt to support Kanye is being used to discredit my brothers and sisters in the movement and I can’t sit by and let that happen either.
“I’d never support anyone who has made a career out of hatred, racism and discrimination. I’d never support someone who’d talk about Chicago as if it’s hell on earth and then take steps to make life harder here for the most disenfranchised among us. I understand why people are disappointed with my words, but I was raised to believe actions speak louder than words. So let my apology be seen in my future works, and let me make up for my poorly timed comments with immediate action and advocacy for those who need it most.” He did not specify what those actions will be.
“We have to talk honestly about what is happening and has been happening in this country,” he concludes, “and we have to challenge those who are responsible, as well as those who are giving them a pass. If that happens to include someone I love, someone who is by brother-in-Christ and someone who I believe does really want to do what is right, it’s not my job to defend or protect him. It’s my job to pick up the phone and talk to him about it.”
My fault yo pic.twitter.com/TIWhG8o1ST
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) April 27, 2018
Nah that aint it yo https://t.co/hqA1NYGxE2
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) April 27, 2018
Kanye West has performed a great service to the Black Community – Big things are happening and eyes are being opened for the first time in Decades – Legacy Stuff! Thank you also to Chance and Dr. Darrell Scott, they really get it (lowest Black & Hispanic unemployment in history).
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 27, 2018
